Letters to the editor for Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Tuesday

Mar 26, 2013 at 2:00 AM

Can control of the County Legislature be determined by ethnicity? In a pluralistic society, can all ethnic groups or associations have their own representative? The better question, however, is should ethnic groups have their own representative and end the process of Americanization?

Can control of the County Legislature be determined by ethnicity? In a pluralistic society, can all ethnic groups or associations have their own representative? The better question, however, is should ethnic groups have their own representative and end the process of Americanization?

The County Legislature began as representing towns, not populations. There are historical and logical reasons for this, but as government evolved more politicized than before, it pretended sympathy for demographic representation. Now evolution has taken a new twist.

A reading of the New Paltz proposal suggests that three ethnic groups and two cities have been identified, urban in nature and rapidly growing, therefore underrepresented according to their interpretation.

The solution proposed is to scrap the philosophy of county government chosen by the towns for a new ideal that is to build a legislature around three demographic areas, ethnic islands, then build out using the same number of legislators, shifting the balance of power to three groups with an agenda and with new resources to pay for it.

I don't think we should trample the idea of local representation. Is there a fair way to select people who truly represent the interest of all? There should be.

Theodore A. Hoffman

Tuxedo

How can Republicans ever hope to win another election unless they stop deceiving themselves?

President Obama is not a Marxist. He is not a radical. He is a defender of Israel and is brilliant in his use of drones to keep terrorists at bay.

He is right about the economy. His quick action reversed the recession he inherited. He is right that GOP austerity is the wrong way to go. He is right that this is the time government should be spending, not only to provide more employment, but also to rebuild the bridges and tunnels, the ports and the airports and the power grid, so that our children will inherit an America competitive in the 21st century.

Meanwhile, as conservatives say the deficit and debt are the only important issues, Wall Street is up, the housing market is up, and employment is up. Again, the president, having assessed the economy correctly, is right. The Republicans are wrong.

The GOP has to recognize that it is wrong on global warming, the economy, immigration, and big government. Add to that marriage rights, abortion, and commonsense firearms legislation, and it is wrong on just about everything.

K.J. Walters

Monroe

After finishing the budget, the state Legislature will at some point turn its attention to the second passage of the casino expansion amendment to the state constitution.

If it passes, it goes to the voters, probably in November. No public hearings have been held. Nobody knows where the new casinos will be located or who will choose the sites. The politics and the money behind this move are opaque.

Virtually no attention has been paid to assessing, preventing and mitigating the consequences of many thousands of new problem gamblers. Our pro-casino elected officials talk in soundbites about "economic development" and "new jobs" with a complete disregard for nonindustry studies that belie those claims.

Getting state revenues by going into business with casinos is shortsighted and unethical. Some maybe will dismiss addicted gamblers as suckers who get what they deserve, but what about the spouses, children, friends, employers who are victimized and taxpayers who have to pick up the pieces?

At the present time, polls show public opinion running against the amendment. The big advertising push for it has not yet mobilized. We can defeat this regressive measure if people say: No New Yorker is expendable. Don't traffic in human misery.